Information processing apparatus and information processing method

ABSTRACT

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a display controller configured to cause a first icon to be displayed, an operation acquisition part configured to acquire a user operation for moving the first icon in a first area within a display surface, an area detector configured to detect an overlapping area in which the first area overlaps with a second area, the second area being present within the display surface and being different from the first area, and a metadata sharing processing part configured to share, between the first icon which is moved from the first area to the overlapping area and a second icon which is different from the first icon and is moved from the second area to the overlapping area, pieces of metadata associated with pieces of content corresponding to the respective icons.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/472,784, filed Aug. 29, 2014, which claims thebenefit of priority from Japanese Priority Patent Application JP2013-187427 filed Sep. 10, 2013 which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus,an information processing method, and a program.

There have recently been proposed various technologies for utilizing animage display in a versatile manner, which are not limited only topresentation of information. For example, JP 2012-65246A describes atechnology in which a camera of a mobile device detects a signal forauthentication projected from a fixed projector, and also a camerajuxtaposed to the fixed projector detects an image for authenticationdisplayed on a display part of the mobile device, and thus, the fixedprojector and the mobile device authenticate each other. Further, JP2012-65246A also describes a technology in which the same authenticationis executed between mobile devices each having a built-in projector.

SUMMARY

In light of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide an informationprocessing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program,which are novel and improved, and which are capable of utilizing animage display in a versatile manner and enhancing the usability.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is providedan information processing apparatus including a display controllerconfigured to cause a first icon to be displayed, an operationacquisition part configured to acquire a user operation for moving thefirst icon in a first area within a display surface, an area detectorconfigured to detect an overlapping area in which the first areaoverlaps with a second area, the second area being present within thedisplay surface and being different from the first area, and a metadatasharing processing part configured to share, between the first iconwhich is moved from the first area to the overlapping area and a secondicon which is different from the first icon and is moved from the secondarea to the overlapping area, pieces of metadata associated with piecesof content corresponding to the respective icons.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided an information processing method performed by a processorincluded in an information processing apparatus, the method includingcausing a first icon to be displayed, acquiring a user operation formoving the first icon in a first area within a display surface,detecting an overlapping area in which the first area overlaps with asecond area, the second area being present within the display surfaceand being different from the first area, and sharing, between the firsticon which is moved from the first area to the overlapping area and asecond icon which is different from the first icon and is moved from thesecond area to the overlapping area, pieces of metadata associated withpieces of content corresponding to the respective icons.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided a program for causing a computer to achieve a function ofcausing a first icon to be displayed, a function of acquiring a useroperation for moving the first icon in a first area within a displaysurface, a function of detecting an overlapping area in which the firstarea overlaps with a second area, the second area being present withinthe display surface and being different from the first area, and afunction of sharing, between the first icon which is moved from thefirst area to the overlapping area and a second icon which is differentfrom the first icon and is moved from the second area to the overlappingarea, pieces of metadata associated with pieces of content correspondingto the respective icons.

According to one or more of embodiments of the present disclosure, animage display is used in a versatile manner and the usability can beenhanced.

Note that the effects described here are not necessarily limitative.With or in the place of the above effects, there may be achieved theeffects described in this specification and/or other effects that areclear to those skilled in the art based on the description of thisspecification. That is, the effects described in this specification aremerely illustrative or exemplified effects, and are not limitative.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic device configuration of asystem according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a camera and aprojector according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example according to the firstembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configurationof a system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first modified example according to thefirst embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second modified example according to thefirst embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which an overlapping area ismaintained even after overlapping of areas has been cancelled in theexample shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a third modified example according to thefirst embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which an overlapping area ismaintained even after overlapping of areas has been cancelled in theexample shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10A is a diagram showing an example in which the overlapping areachanges in accordance with a user operation in the example shown in FIG.9;

FIG. 10B is a diagram showing an example in which the overlapping areachanges in accordance with a user operation in the example shown in FIG.9;

FIG. 11A is a diagram showing a fourth modified example according to thefirst embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11B is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12A is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12B is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13A is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13B is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14A is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14B is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14C is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15A is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15B is a diagram showing the fourth modified example according tothe first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a schematic device configuration of asystem according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a first display example according to thesecond embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a second display example according to thesecond embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configurationof a system according to the second embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a modified example according to the secondembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a schematic device configuration of asystem according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configurationof a system according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 23A is a diagram showing a first display example according to thethird embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 23B is a diagram showing the first display example according to thethird embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 24A is a diagram showing a second display example according to thethird embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 24B is a diagram showing the second display example according tothe third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 24C is a diagram showing the second display example according tothe third embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 25A is a diagram showing a third display example according to thethird embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 25B is a diagram showing the third display example according to thethird embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 25C is a diagram showing the third display example according to thethird embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a fourth display example according to thethird embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 27 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration example ofan information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Note that,in this specification and the appended drawings, structural elementsthat have substantially the same function and structure are denoted withthe same reference numerals, and repeated explanation of thesestructural elements is omitted.

Note that the description will be given in the following order.

1. First embodiment

1-1. Device configuration

1-2. Display example

1-3. Functional configuration

1-4. Modified example

2. Second embodiment

2-1. Device configuration

2-2. Display example

2-3. Functional configuration

2-4. Modified example

3. Third embodiment

3-1. Device configuration

3-2. Functional configuration

3-3. Display example

4. Hardware configuration

5. Supplement 1. First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a configurationfor sharing metadata of content using a projector.

1-1. Device Configuration

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic device configuration of asystem according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.Referring to FIG. 1, a system 10 may include a processor 110, memory120, a touch panel 130, a communication module 140, a camera module 150,and a projector 160. As will be described below, the system 10 may beachieved by including one or more information processing apparatuses.Note that a more specific hardware configuration example of theinformation processing apparatus will be described later.

System Implementation Example

For example, the entire system 10 may be implemented with a singleinformation processing apparatus. In this case, the informationprocessing apparatus may be a smartphone or a tablet terminal having thebuilt-in camera module 150 and the built-in projector 160. In addition,the information processing apparatus may also be various types ofpersonal computers (PC's), a game console, a media player, or ahead-mounted terminal device. Alternatively, the information processingapparatus may not have the built-in camera module 150 and/or thebuilt-in projector 160. In this case, the camera module 150 and/or theprojector 160 which are/is not built in may be externally connected toconnection ports/a connection port of the information processingapparatus.

Further, for example, the system 10 may be implemented as a systemincluding an information processing apparatus of a server and aninformation processing apparatus of a client, the client having thebuilt-in camera module 150 and the built-in projector 160 or having thecamera module 150 and the projector 160 externally connected thereto. Inthis case, the information processing apparatus of the server and theinformation processing apparatus of the client each have a processor,and communicate with each other via a wired or wireless communicationmeans. Functions of the processor 110 to be described later may beachieved concentratedly by a processor of any apparatus, or may beachieved in a distributed manner by processors of both apparatuses.

In this way, the system 10 can be implemented with a free combination ofone or more information processing apparatuses, and the implementationexamples are not limited to the examples described above.

(Functions of Each Structural Element)

The processor 110 is achieved by a CPU, a DSP, or an ASIC, for example,and achieves various functions by operating in accordance with a programstored in the memory 120. The processor 110 acquires various inputs bycontrolling directly or indirectly each part of the system 10, andprovides various outputs. Note that details of functions achieved by theprocessor 110 will be described later.

The memory 120 can be achieved by, for example, appropriately combiningsemiconductor memory used as RAM or ROM, a storage device using amagnetic disk such as a HDD, an optical disc, or a magneto-optical disk,flash memory, or a removable medium. The memory 120 stores a program forthe processor 110 to operate. The program may be continuously stored inthe memory 120 for example, or may be downloaded from a server on anetwork through the communication module 140 and temporarily stored inthe memory 120. Further, the memory 120 may also store data generated bya function achieved by the processor 110.

The touch panel 130 includes a display 132 and a touch sensor 134. Thedisplay 132 is achieved by an LCD or an organic EL display, for example,and displays an image in accordance with control performed by theprocessor 110. The touch sensor 134 is achieved by a sensor of anelectrostatic capacity-type or the like provided on the surface of thedisplay 132, and detects touch of a user with the surface of the display132. Note that the system 10 may also have other input means such as amouse, a keyboard, a touch pad, or a button, and/or other output meanssuch as a speaker or a vibrator, in addition to or instead of the touchpanel 130.

The communication module 140 is achieved by various communicationcircuits that execute wired or wireless network communication inaccordance with control performed by the processor 110. In the case ofexecuting the wireless communication, the communication module 140 mayinclude an antenna. The communication module 140 executes networkcommunication in accordance with a communication standard of theInternet, a LAN, or Bluetooth (registered trademark), for example.

The camera module 150 is achieved by, for example, an image sensor suchas a CCD or a CMOS, an optical system such as a lens for controllingimage formation of a subject image on an image sensor, and a drivecircuit for causing the image sensor and the optical system to drive.The camera module 150 provides the processor 110 with a still image or avideo generated by the image sensor capturing the subject image as imagedata. Note that, as will be described later, the camera module 150 isdisposed so as to acquire a captured image including at least a part ofa projection of the projector 160.

The projector 160 is achieved by, for example, a light source such as alamp and an LED, a liquid crystal display, an optical system such as alens performing control such that an image is projected on a projectionplane by light which has passed through the liquid crystal display fromthe light source, and a drive circuit for causing the light source, theliquid crystal display, and the optical system to drive. The projector160 projects a still image or a video provided as image data by theprocessor 110 on a dedicated screen, on a desk surface, on a wallsurface, or the like.

(Relationship Between Camera and Projector)

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a camera and aprojector according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.Referring to FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the camera module 150and the projector 160 are disposed such that at least a part of aprojection 1603 which is displayed by the projector 160 projecting animage on a projection plane 1601 is included in an angle of view 1501 ofthe camera module 150. That is, the camera module 150 is configured soas to acquire a captured image including at least a part of theprojection 1603 of the projector 160.

Note that, as described above, the projection plane 1601 may be adedicated screen, a desk surface, a wall surface, or the like. Thepositional relationship of the projection plane 1601 with respect to theprojector 160 changes according to circumstances. Therefore, the cameramodule 150 is not necessarily capable of acquiring a captured imageincluding the projection 1603 all the time. For example, in the casewhere the projection 1603 is at least visually recognizable by a user,the camera module 150 may be disposed so as to be able to acquire acaptured image including the projection 1603. Further, in the case wherethe camera module 150 is moved by the user independently of theprojector 160, the system 10 may lead, by using an image or an audio,the user to dispose the camera module 150 at a position at which thecamera module 150 is capable of acquiring a captured image including theprojection 1603.

In the first embodiment of the present disclosure, metadata of contentis shared between users with the apparatus configuration describedabove. Note that, although the single system 10 is shown in thedescription above, in sharing metadata, multiple users use systems 10,respectively, the systems 10 being different from each other. In thedescription below (including descriptions of other embodiments), themultiple systems 10 may be referred to as system 10A, 10B, 10C, . . .(which may not necessarily be shown in the figures).

1-2. Display Example

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example according to the firstembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3, in thepresent embodiment, two projections, projections 1603 a and 1603 b, aredisplayed on the common projection plane 1601 by systems 10A and 10Bused by two users (users A and B), respectively. On the projections 1603a and 1603 b, icons 1605 a and 1605 b are displayed, respectively. Theicons 1605 correspond to pieces of content stored in the memory 120 ofthe system 10A and the memory 120 of the system 10B, respectively.Further, on the projections 1603, areas 1607 a and 1607 b in which icons1605 are included are disposed, respectively. In the example shown inthe figure, since the area 1607 corresponds to nearly the whole of theprojection 1603, the area 1607 is not visibly displayed on theprojection 1603. In another example, the area 1607 may correspond to apart of the projection 1603. In such a case, the area 1607 may bevisibly displayed on the projection 1603.

The users A and B can move the projections 1603 on the projection planes1601 by changing the positions and the angles of the projectors 160 ofthe systems 10A and 10B, respectively. In the example shown in thefigure, the areas 1607 a and 1607 b are overlapped with each other in anoverlapping area 1609 as a result of such movement. Here, theoverlapping area 1609 may be visibly displayed on the both projections1603 as the example shown in the figure. Further, the users A and B canmove the respective icons 1605 displayed in the areas 1607 withoperations through the touch panels 130 of the respective systems 10Aand 10B. On the display 132 included in each of the touch panels 130, animage including the projection 1603 captured by the camera module 150 isdisplayed, and the user performs a touch operation through the touchsensor 134 on the displayed icon 1605. Since the processor 110recognizes the image projected by the projector 160 and the projection1603 included in the image captured by the camera module 150 inassociation with each other, it is possible to move the icon 1605 withthe touch operation on the captured image.

Note that, since the processor 110 retains original image data that theprojector 160 is provided with, an image obtained by redrawing the imagedata in accordance with the size and the shape-change of the projection1603 included in the captured image, for example, may be displayed onthe display 132. Alternatively, the icon 1605 can be moved by detecting,by the camera module 150 or a separately provided sensor, movement of auser's hand or the like on the projection plane 1601, and performing, bythe user, a touch operation directly on the icon 1605 within theprojection 1603. In this case, the display 132 may not necessarily havean image displayed thereon.

As a result of the movement of the icons 1605 performed by the users Aand B in the above described manner, in the case where, as the exampleshown in the figure, the icon 1605 a is moved from the area 1607 a tothe overlapping area 1609 and the icon 1605 b is moved from the area1607 b to the overlapping area 1609, the processors 110 of the systems10 each execute a process of sharing, between the icons 1605 a and 1605b, pieces of metadata associated with pieces of content corresponding tothe respective icons. Hereinafter, a functional configuration of thesystem 10 for achieving such functions will be further described. Notethat, although the case of using the system 10A will be described as anexample in the description below, the functional configuration of thesystem 10B are also the same.

1-3. Functional Configuration

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configurationof a system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.Referring to FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, the processor 110included in the system 10A achieves each of the functions of a displaycontroller 111, an operation acquisition part 112, an area detector 113,and a metadata sharing processing part 114. Further, in the presentembodiment, the memory 120 included in the system 10A stores contentdata 121 and metadata 122.

The display controller 111 controls the projector 160 and causes theicon 1605 a (first icon) to be projected on the projection plane 1601(display surface). The icon 1605 a corresponds to content stored in thememory 120 as the content data 121. The type of the content may be any,such as a still image, a video, an audio, or a document. The icon 1605 amay be displayed in various shapes in accordance with the type of thecontent and with whether the content is a favorite (the example of FIG.3 shows a star-shaped icon representing favorite content and icons eachrepresenting other content). In addition, the display controller 111 mayalso control the display 132 and cause the icon 1605 a to be displayedon a screen. As described above, the icon 1605 a displayed on the screenof the display 132 may be displayed for causing the icon 1605 a to bemoved by the user's touch operation through the touch sensor 134.

Further, in the case where the area 1607 a corresponds to only a part ofthe projection 1603, for example, the display controller 111 may causethe area 1607 (first area) in which the icon 1605 a is disposed to bevisibly displayed on the projection plane 1601. Additionally, thedisplay controller 111 may also cause the overlapping area 1609 to bevisibly displayed on the projection plane 1601.

The operation acquisition part 112 acquires a user operation for movingthe icon 1605 a (first icon) in the area 1607 a (first area) within theprojection plane 1601 (display surface). For example, the operationacquisition part 112 acquires the user operation through the touchsensor 134 included in the touch panel 130. To be more specific, theoperation acquisition part 112 acquires a touch operation performed bythe user on the icon 1605 a displayed on the screen of the display 132through the touch sensor 134. Alternatively, the operation acquisitionpart 112 may acquire the touch operation that the user performeddirectly on the icon 1605 a within the projection 1603 a through thecamera module 150 or a separately provided sensor.

The area detector 113 detects the overlapping area 1609, the overlappingarea 1609 being the area in which the area 1607 a (first area) overlapswith the area 1607 b (second area), the area 1607 b being present withinthe projection plane 1601 (display surface) and being different from thearea 1607 a. The area detector 113 detects the overlapping area 1609 onthe basis of an image captured by the camera module 150, for example. Tobe more specific, for example, the area detector 113 compares originalimage data provided to the projector 160 with the projection 1603 aincluded in the image captured by the camera module 150, and detects thearea estimated to be overlapped with another projection within the area1607 a included in the projection 1603 a as the overlapping area 1609.Alternatively, the area detector 113 may detect the overlapping area1609 by receiving original image data of the projection 1603 b of thesystem 10B and/or data of an image captured by the camera module 150 ofthe system 10B side through the communication module 140, and comparingthe original image data and/or the data of the captured image with theprojection 1603 a included in an image captured by the camera module150.

The metadata sharing processing part 114 shares, between the icon 1605 a(first icon) which is moved from the area 1607 a (first area) to theoverlapping area 1609 and the icon 1605 b (second icon) which is movedfrom the area 1607 b (second area) to the overlapping area 1609, piecesof metadata associated with pieces of content corresponding to therespective icons. As described above, the icon 1605 a corresponds tocontent stored in the memory 120 as the content data 121 in the system10A. In the same manner, the icon 1605 b corresponds to contentsimilarly stored in the memory 120 in the system 10B. The metadatasharing processing part 114 executes, in the case where both of the icon1605 a and the icon 1605 b are moved to the overlapping area 1609, thesharing processing of metadata between the pieces of contentcorresponding to the respective icons.

To be more specific, for example, in the case where the icon 1605 a andthe icon 1605 b are moved to the overlapping area 1609, the metadatasharing processing part 114 of the system 10A receives content dataand/or metadata associated with content of the icon 1605 b from thesystem 10B through the communication module 140. For example, themetadata sharing processing part 114 executes analysis of imagesincluded in the pieces of content corresponding to the respective icons1605 a and 1605 b, and, in the case where the images are similar to eachother, the metadata may be shared between the pieces of content. In thiscase, the metadata sharing processing part 114 of the system 10A mayfirst receive only the content data from the system 10B and, in the casewhere it is determined that the sharing processing of the metadata is tobe executed on the basis of the content data, may additionally receivethe metadata from the system 10B.

Alternatively, the metadata sharing processing part 114 may share, inthe case where there are some common items that are included in thepieces of metadata associated with the pieces of content correspondingto the respective icons 1605 a and 1605 b, the metadata between thepieces of content. For example, this is the case where, between piecesof metadata of pieces of image content (photographs) corresponding tothe respective icons 1605 a and 1605 b, the items of shootingdates/times and shooting locations are common, but the pieces of taginformation indicating accompanying person(s) are not common. In such acase, the metadata sharing processing part 114 executes processing ofsharing the pieces of tag information between the respective pieces ofmetadata.

Here, the sharing processing of metadata executed by the metadatasharing processing part 114 may also be processing of complementingunset items in the respective pieces of metadata, for example. Forexample, in the case where the pieces of metadata of the pieces of imagecontent (photographs) are similar in images and are common in the itemsof shooting dates/times in the pieces of metadata, the metadata sharingprocessing part 114 copies the information of the shooting location setin the metadata of the content (which is referred to as content B)corresponding to the icon 1605 b to the corresponding item which isunset in the metadata of the content (which is referred to as content A)corresponding to the icon 1605 a. Further, in this example, if the taginformation indicating accompanying person(s) is set in the content Aand is unset in the content B, the metadata sharing processing part 114copies the corresponding item from the metadata of the content A to themetadata of the content B. In the case where the metadata sharingprocessing part 114 of the system 10A changes the metadata of thecontent B received from the system 10B, the metadata sharing processingpart 114 transmits the changed metadata to the system 10B through thecommunication module 140.

Further, for example, the metadata sharing processing executed by themetadata sharing processing part 114 may be, for example, processing ofoverwriting metadata with another piece of metadata. For example, in thecase where the pieces of metadata of the pieces of image content(photographs) are similar in images and are common (not necessarily thesame) in the items of shooting dates/times in the pieces of metadata,the metadata sharing processing part 114 of the system 10A may overwritethe metadata of the content A with the metadata of the content B.According to such processing, for example, time stamps of images of thesame subjects captured by multiple apparatuses whose clocks are slightlydifferent from each other are unified, and can arrange the images in acommon time-series order.

Heretofore, a basic example of the first embodiment of the presentdisclosure has been disclosed. Hereinafter, various modified exampleswhich are adoptable in the present embodiment will be described.

1-4. Modified Example First Modified Example

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first modified example according to thefirst embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 5, in theprojection 1603, a time axis 1611 is displayed in the overlapping area1609, and the icons 1605 a and 1605 b displayed in the respective areas1607 a and 1607 b are arranged in accordance with the common time axis1611. In this example, the display controllers 111 of the respectivesystems 10A and 10B refer to shooting dates/times recorded as pieces ofmetadata associated with pieces of content (images) corresponding to theicons 1605, and arrange the icons 1605 in the projections 1603 a and1603 b such that the shooting dates/times correspond to the time axis1611. Note that, here, the time axis is an example of a classificationaxis that supports an item included in the metadata. In addition, aclassification axis may be displayed on the basis of an item which isnot necessarily numerically expressed, such as position information ortag information.

Here, the time axis 1611 may not necessarily correspond to shootingdates/times of all pieces of content. That is, a time period displayedfor the time axis 1611 corresponds to some of the pieces of shootingdates/times, and the pieces of content displayed as the icons 1605 maybe limited to the ones having shooting dates/times in the correspondingtime period. In this case, if the time axis 1611 is scrolled by anoperation of any of the users of the systems 10A and 10B the time periodthat the time axis 1611 displays is changed, and the icons 1605 arrangedin the areas 1607 a and 1607 b may be updated in association.

Further, in the example shown in the figure, the icons 1605 disposed inthe overlapping area 1609 are displayed in a manner that the icons 1605each face toward the other area. That is, of the icons 1605 disposed inthe overlapping area 1609, the icon 1605 a that has been moved from thearea 1607 a to the overlapping area 1609 is displayed so as to facetoward the area 1607 b, and the icon 1605 b that has been moved from thearea 1607 b to the overlapping area 1609 is displayed so as to facetoward the area 1607 a. Note that the direction in which each icon 1605faces is easily understood by referring to the direction in which thestar-shaped icon shown in the figure faces, for example. This processingaims at, based on the assumption that a user (user A) of the system 10Aobserves the projection 1603 from a side of the area 1607 a and a user(user B) of the system 10B observes the projection 1603 from a side ofthe area 1607 b, making it easier for the users to visually recognizecontent at the other user's side, the content being a target of metadatasharing.

Since the processing related to the directions of the icons 1605 is notdirectly related to the processing of displaying the time axis 1611,those examples may be independent of each other. That is, even in thecase where the time axis 1611 is not displayed, the icons 1605 may bedisplayed such that the icons 1605 each face toward the other area.

Note that the two examples described with reference to FIG. 5 may beuseful for the case of sharing content itself corresponding to an icon1605 disposed in the overlapping area 1609 between users. That is, inother embodiments of the present disclosure, the examples describedabove are used not only for the sharing of metadata of content, but alsofor the sharing of content.

Second Modified Example

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second modified example according to thefirst embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 6, systems10A to 10C used by three users (users A to C) display three projections1603 a to 1603 c, respectively, on a common projection plane 1601. Onthe projections 1603 a to 1603 c, icons 1605 a to 1605 c are displayed,respectively. The icons 1605 correspond to pieces of content stored inthe memory 120 of the system 10A, the memory 120 of the system 10B andthe memory 120 of the system 10C, respectively. Further, on theprojections 1603, areas 1607 a to 1607 c in which icons 1605 areincluded are disposed, respectively. The area 1607 may correspond to thewhole of the projection 1603 as the example shown in the figure, or maycorrespond to a part of the projection 1603.

The users A to C can move the projections 1603 on the projection plane1601 by changing the positions and the angles of the projectors 160 ofthe respective systems 10A to 10C. In this way, in the example shown inthe figure, the areas 1607 a to 1607 c are overlapped with each other inoverlapping areas 1609. The overlapping areas 1609 include anoverlapping area 1609 a of the areas 1607 a and 1607 b, an overlappingarea 1609 b of the areas 1607 b and 1607 c, an overlapping area 1609 cof the areas 1607 c and 1607 a, and an overlapping area 1609 d in whichall the areas 1607 a to 1607 c are overlapped. Those overlapping areas1609 may be visibly displayed (for example, in different colors fromeach other) so as to be identifiable from each other on the respectiveprojections 1603. Alternatively, the colors of the areas 1607 a to 1607c may be set such that the overlapping areas 1609 are naturallyidentifiable from the mixtures of those colors. Further, the users A toC are also capable of moving icons 1605 displayed in the areas 1607 byoperations through the touch panels 130 of the respective systems 10A to10C, and of disposing the icons 1605 in the overlapping areas 1609.

In the present modified example, the sharing processing of metadatabetween icons 1605 disposed in an overlapping area 1609 varies dependingon which of the areas 1607 are overlapped with each other in thecorresponding overlapping area 1609. For example, into the overlappingarea 1609 a (the areas 1607 a and 1607 b are overlapped with eachother), the icon 1605 a and the icon 1605 b can be moved. Accordingly,the overlapping area 1609 a is used for the sharing of metadata ofcontent between the systems 10A and 10B. Note that, since the icon 1605c cannot be moved to the overlapping area 1609 a (the overlapping area1609 a is not included in the area 1607 c), the system 10C is excludedfrom a target of metadata sharing when the overlapping area 1609 a isused.

On the other hand, into the overlapping area 1609 d (all the areas 1607a to 1607 c are overlapped with each other), any of the icons 1605 a to1605 c can be moved. Accordingly, the overlapping area 1609 d is usedfor the sharing of metadata of content between any of the systems 10A to10C. That is, only the icons 1605 a and 1605 b may be moved into theoverlapping area 1609 d and the metadata sharing may be executed betweenthe systems 10A and 10B or the icons 1605 a to 1605 c may be moved intothe overlapping area 1609 d and the metadata sharing may be executedamong the systems 10A to 10C.

In this way, the target of metadata sharing is set in accordance withthe areas 1607 overlapped in the overlapping area 1609, and thus, therange in which the metadata is shared can be grasped visually and a usercan execute the metadata sharing free from anxiety.

Note that the metadata sharing among three or more systems 10 may beexecuted by setting the priority order among the systems, for example.In this case, if the items of metadata compete with each other, the itemof metadata of the system having higher order is employed with priority.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which an overlapping area ismaintained even after overlapping of areas has been cancelled in theexample shown in FIG. 6. Referring to FIG. 7, the positionalrelationship between the projections 1603 a to 1603 c shown in FIG. 6has been changed due to further change performed by the users A to C onthe positions and the angles of the projectors 160, and thus, theoverlapping of the areas 1607 a to 1607 c is cancelled. However, in theexample shown in the figure, since an application for sharing metadataof content is continuously activated in the systems 10A to 10C, thedisplay controller 111 of each system 10 continuously displays a virtualoverlapping area 1609. Note that, for the sake of simplification, thearea 1607 c is not shown in FIG. 7, but the area 1607 c may have asimilar display.

For example, in the case where the overlapping area 1609 is naturallyidentifiable from the mixtures of colors while the areas 1607 areactually overlapped with each other, the display controller 111 changesthe display such that the overlapping area 1609 has a color differentfrom the color of the area 1607 when the overlapping of the areas 1607is cancelled. Alternatively, in the case where the overlapping area 1609is displayed in a color different from the color of the area 1607 alsowhile the area 1607 is actually overlapped, the display controller 111maintains the similar display even after the overlapping of the areas1607 has been cancelled. In the case of terminating the virtual displayof the overlapping area 1609, a menu may be called by performing apress-and-hold operation on the overlapping area 1609, and the displaymay be terminated. Alternatively, the virtual display of the overlappingarea 1609 may be terminated by dragging the overlapping area 1609 towardthe outside of the projection 1603.

In this case, the overlapping area 1609 displayed virtually on eachprojection 1603 functions in the same manner as the case where the areas1607 are actually overlapped with each other. That is, in the casewhere, as the example shown in the figure, the icon 1605 a is moved intothe overlapping area 1609 a on the projection 1603 a and the icon 1605 bis also moved into the overlapping area 1609 a on the projection 1603 b,the sharing processing of metadata of the pieces of contentcorresponding to the respective icons 1605 a and 1605 b is executedbetween the systems 10A and 10B. In this case, an icon 1605 of thesharing partner may be displayed in the overlapping area 1609, on thebasis of information that the display controller 111 has receivedthrough the communication module 140. In the example shown in thefigure, information related to the icon 1605 is exchanged between thesystems 10A and 10B and, the icon 1605 b is virtually displayed in theoverlapping area 1609 a on the projection 1603 a and the icon 1605 a isvirtually displayed in the overlapping area 1609 a on the projection1603 b. The virtual displays of the icons 1605 are possible in the casewhere the systems 10A and 10B are communicable with each other through anetwork. When the communication between the systems 10A and 10B isdisconnected, the virtually displayed icons 1605 disappear. In thiscase, the overlapping area 1609 may also be continuously displayed whileallowing the color of the overlapping area 1609 to become pale, forexample, to express the fact that the communication is disconnected.

Note that the example shown in FIG. 7 is not limited to the case ofsharing metadata among three systems 10, and, as shown in the examplesof FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, is also applicable to the case of sharing metadatabetween two systems 10 and the case of sharing metadata between four ormore systems 10. Further, the examples shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 mayalso be useful for the case of sharing content itself corresponding toan icon 1605 disposed in the overlapping area 1609 between users. Thatis, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the examplesdescribed above are used not only for the sharing of metadata ofcontent, but also for the sharing of content.

Third Modified Example

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a third modified example according to thefirst embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 8, systems10A to 10D used by four users (users A to D) display four projections1603 a to 1603 d, respectively, on a common projection plane 1601. Onthe projections 1603 a to 1603 d, icons 1605 a to 1605 d are displayed,respectively. The icons 1605 correspond to pieces of content stored inthe memory 120 of the system 10A, the memory 120 of the system 10B thememory 120 of the system 10C, and the memory 120 of the system 10D,respectively. On the projections 1603, areas 1607 a to 1607 d in whichicons 1605 are included are disposed, respectively. The area 1607 maycorrespond to the whole of the projection 1603 as the example shown inthe figure, or may correspond to a part of the projection 1603.

The users A to D can move the projections 1603 on the projection plane1601 by changing the positions and the angles of the projectors 160 ofthe respective systems 10A to 10D. In this way, in the example shown inthe figure, the areas 1607 a to 1607 d are overlapped with each other inoverlapping areas 1609. The overlapping areas 1609 include anoverlapping area 1609 a of the areas 1607 a and 1607 b, an overlappingarea 1609 b of the areas 1607 b and 1607 c, an overlapping area 1609 cof the areas 1607 c and 1607 d, an overlapping area 1609 d of the areas1607 d and 1607 a, and an overlapping area 1609 e in which all the areas1607 a to 1607 d are overlapped. Those overlapping areas 1609 may bevisibly displayed (for example, in different colors from each other) soas to be identifiable from each other on the respective projections1603. Alternatively, the colors of the areas 1607 a to 1607 d may be setsuch that the overlapping areas 1609 are naturally identifiable from themixtures of those colors. Further, the users A to D are also capable ofmoving icons 1605 displayed in the areas 1607 by operations through thetouch panels 130 of the respective systems 10A to 10D, and of disposingthe icons 1605 in the overlapping areas 1609.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which an overlapping area ismaintained even after overlapping of areas has been cancelled in theexample shown in FIG. 8. In the example shown in FIG. 9, in the samemanner as the example described with reference to FIG. 7, the displaycontroller 111 of each system 10 continuously displays a virtualoverlapping area 1609 even after the positional relationship between theprojections 1603 a to 1603 d has been changed and the overlapping of theareas 1607 a to 1607 d has been cancelled. Note that, for the sake ofsimplification, the area 1607 a is shown in FIG. 9 as a representative,but the other areas 1607 may also have similar displays.

Here, in the projection 1603 a shown in FIG. 9, the overlapping area1609 a (corresponding to the area in which the areas 1607 a and 1607 bare overlapped with each other), the overlapping area 1609 d(corresponding to the area in which the areas 1607 d and 1607 a areoverlapped with each other), and the overlapping area 1609 e(corresponding to the area in which all the areas 1607 a to 1607 d areoverlapped) are virtually displayed, and a virtual overlapping area 1609f is displayed separately from the overlapping area 1609 e (which is anoverlapping area in which the area 1607 a overlaps with two or more ofthe areas 1607 b to 1607 d). The overlapping area 1609 f is handled asthe area in which the area 1607 a is overlapped with the area 1607 c (apart of the areas 1607 b to 1607 d overlapped with the area 1607 awithin the overlapping area 1609 e).

In the example shown in the figure, with the display of the overlappingarea 1609 f, there are displayed on the projection 1603 a the areas(overlapping areas 1609 a, 1609 d, and 1609 f) that overlap individuallywith the respective areas 1607 b, 1607 c, and 1607 d and the area(overlapping area 1609 e) that overlaps with all the areas 1607 b to1607 d. Accordingly, the user A can use different overlapping areas 1609for disposing an icon 1605, for the case where the user A wants to sharemetadata individually with the user B, the user C, or the user D and forthe case where the user A wants to share metadata with all the users Bto D.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are each a diagram showing an example in which theoverlapping area changes in accordance with a user operation in theexample shown in FIG. 9. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the overlappingarea 1609 f is displayed in a manner that the overlapping area 1609 f iswedged into the overlapping area 1609 e. Accordingly, the size of theoverlapping area 1609 e and the size of the overlapping area 1609 f maynot be large enough for disposing an icon 1605. Consequently, in theexample shown in FIG. 10A, the overlapping area 1609 f is initiallydisplayed in a minimized size. In this state, it is easy to dispose theicon 1605 in the overlapping area 1609 e, but it is not easy to disposethe icon 1605 in the overlapping area 1609 f.

Consequently, in the case where the user wants to dispose the icon 1605in the overlapping area 1609 f, the user can enlarge the overlappingarea 1609 f from the state shown in FIG. 10A to the state of the exampleshown in FIG. 10B, by dragging the overlapping area 1609 f in thedirection indicated by the arrow or tapping the overlapping area 1609 f,for example. In this state, it becomes easy to dispose the icon 1605 inthe overlapping area 1609 f. On the other hand, the overlapping area1609 e which has been minimized by the above operation can be enlargedagain to the state shown in FIG. 10A by performing dragging and tappingoperations in the same manner as the overlapping area 1609 f.

Note that the examples shown in FIGS. 8, 9, 10A, and 10B are not limitedto the case of displaying four projections 1603, and is also applicableto the case of displaying five or more projections 1603, for example.Further, the examples shown in FIGS. 8, 9, 10A, and 10B may also beuseful for the case of sharing content itself corresponding to an icon1605 disposed in the overlapping area 1609 between users.

Fourth Modified Example

FIGS. 11A, 11B, 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B, 14C, 15A, and 15B are eacha diagram showing a fourth modified example according to the firstembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIGS. 11A, 11B, 12A,12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B, 14C, 15A, and 15B, areas 1607 a to 1607 dsequentially overlap on top of each other centering around the area 1607a, the areas 1607 a to 1607 d being included in four projections 1603 ato 1603 d, respectively, the four projections 1603 a to 1603 d beingdisplayed on a common projection plane 1601 by systems 10A to 10D usedby four users (users A to D), respectively. In this way, on theprojections 1603, overlapping areas 1609 corresponding to the respectiveareas are sequentially formed.

In the example shown in FIG. 11A, the right end part of the area 1607 aoverlaps with the area 1607 b, and thus, an overlapping area 1609 b isformed. As shown in FIG. 11B, the overlapping area 1609 b iscontinuously displayed even after the overlapping of the area 1607 a andthe area 1607 b has been cancelled. However, the overlapping area 1609 bis reduced after the overlapping has been cancelled, and becomes an areahaving a given width along the right end part of the area 1607 a.

Further, in the example shown in FIG. 12A, the upper end part of thearea 1607 a overlaps with the area 1607 c, and thus, an overlapping area1609 c is formed. As shown in FIG. 12B, the overlapping area 1609 c iscontinuously displayed even after the overlapping of the area 1607 a andthe area 1607 c has been cancelled. However, the overlapping area 1609 cis reduced after the overlapping has been cancelled, and becomes an areahaving a given width disposed continuously with the overlapping area1609 b at the upper right part of the area 1607 a.

Still further, in the example shown in FIG. 13A, the upper end part ofthe area 1607 a overlaps with the area 1607 d this time, and thus, anoverlapping area 1609 d is formed. As shown in FIG. 13B, the overlappingarea 1609 d is continuously displayed even after the overlapping of thearea 1607 a and the area 1607 d has been cancelled. However, theoverlapping area 1609 d is also reduced after the overlapping has beencancelled, and becomes an area having a given width disposedcontinuously with the overlapping area 1609 b at the upper right part ofthe area 1607 a. As shown in the figure, the overlapping area 1609 d isdisposed in a manner that the overlapping area 1609 d aligns with theoverlapping area 1609 c which has already been disposed at the upperright part of the area 1607 a.

In the state shown in FIG. 13B, that is, in the state in which the area1607 a has been sequentially overlapped with the areas 1607 b to 1607 dand then all the overlappings have been cancelled, the overlapping areas1609 b to 1609 d are displayed in the minimized sizes in the area 1607a. In this state, it is not easy to dispose an icon 1605 in each of theoverlapping areas 1609. Consequently, in order for a user to dispose theicon 1605 in the overlapping area 1609, the user enlarges the targetoverlapping area 1609.

To be more specific, in the example shown in FIG. 14A, the user intendsto dispose the icon 1605 in the overlapping area 1609 b and enlarges theoverlapping area 1609 b. The enlargement of the overlapping area 1609may be executed, in the same manner as the example shown in FIGS. 10Aand 10B for example, by dragging or tapping operation on the overlappingarea 1609. In the same manner as the example of FIG. 14A, in the exampleshown in FIG. 14B, the overlapping area 1609 c is enlarged. In theexample shown in FIG. 14C, the overlapping area 1609 d is enlarged.

In the present modified example, in addition to the enlargement of theminimized overlapping area 1609 as described above, the operationacquisition part 112 may acquire a user operation for generating a newoverlapping area 1609 by selecting multiple minimized overlapping areas1609 and further overlapping those overlapping areas 1609. For example,in the example shown in FIG. 15A, the overlapping area 1609 b and theoverlapping area 1609 c are simultaneously or sequentially selected withan operation through the touch panel 130, and the display controller 111causes those areas to be overlapped and a new overlapping area 1609 e tobe displayed. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 15B, the overlappingarea 1609 c and the overlapping area 1609 d are simultaneously orsequentially selected with an operation through the touch panel 130, andthe display controller 111 causes those areas to be overlapped and a newoverlapping area 1609 f to be displayed.

Note that the examples shown in FIGS. 11A, 11B, 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A,14B, 14C, 15A, and 15B are not limited to the case of displaying fourprojections 1603, and is also applicable to the case of displayingthree, or five or more projections 1603, for example. Further, theexamples shown in FIGS. 11A, 11B, 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B, 14C,15A, and 15B may also be useful for the case of sharing content itselfcorresponding to an icon 1605 disposed in the overlapping area 1609between users.

In the first embodiment of the present disclosure described above, theoverlapping area 1609 is formed by overlapping areas 1607 each projectedby the projector 160. With the movement of icons 1605 disposed in areas1607 to the overlapping area 1609, the sharing of metadata betweenpieces of content corresponding to the icons 1605 becomes possible. Theicons 1605, the areas 1607, and the overlapping area 1609 are displayedon the projection plane 1601, which the users who attempt to sharemetadata can visually recognize in common. Accordingly, the sharing ofmetadata of content can be achieved with an intuitive operation, likearranging and exchanging pieces of content (such as photographs) on thetable.

2. Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present disclosure includes a configurationfor achieving sharing of metadata of content in the same manner as thefirst embodiment using a display instead of a projector.

2-1. Device Configuration

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a schematic device configuration of asystem according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.Referring to FIG. 16, a system 20 includes a processor 110, memory 120,a touch panel 130, a communication module 140, and a camera module 150.In the same manner as the system 10 according to the first embodimentdescribed above, the system 20 may be achieved by including one or moreinformation processing apparatuses.

Note that, although the system 20 according to the present embodimentdiffers from the system 10 according to the first embodiment in that thesystem 20 does not necessarily include a projector, other parts such asthe system implementation example and the functions of each structuralelement are the same as the system 10. Therefore, the detailedexplanation of the other parts will be omitted.

2-2. Display Example

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a first display example according to thesecond embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 17, inthe present embodiment, a screen 2603 is displayed on a display 132included in the touch panel 130 of the system 20. The screen 2603includes an area 2607, and an icon 2605 is disposed within the area2607.

Here, for example, the screen 2603 may be a screen expressing what iscalled augmented reality (AR) in which a virtual image is overlaid on acaptured image of a real space provided by the camera module 150. Inthis case, the projection 1603 according to the first embodiment may besaid to be expressed virtually in the display 132. For example, a usercan move the area 2607 within the screen 2603 with respect to the realspace by changing the position and the angle of the camera module 150.Further, the user may also be capable of moving or changing the shape ofthe area 2607 within the screen 2603 by performing a drag operation orthe like in the area 2607 through the touch panel 130.

Alternatively, the screen 2603 may be a screen expressing a virtualspace. In this case, the area 2607 may be displayed independently of thereal space surrounding the user. Accordingly, as the example shown inFIG. 17, the area 2607 which is planar and faces the user may bedisplayed. In this case, the user can move or change the shape of thearea 2607 within the screen 2603 by performing a drag operation or thelike in the area 2607 through the touch panel 130.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a second display example according to thesecond embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example shown inFIG. 18, two areas 2607 a and 2607 b are displayed on the screen 2603,and icons 2605 a and 2605 b are disposed in the respective areas. Here,an icon 2605 a corresponds to content held by a system 20A including thedisplay 132 on which the screen 2603 is displayed. On the other hand, anicon 2605 b corresponds to content held by a system 20B which isdifferent from the system 20A.

Users (users A and B) of the respective systems 20A and 20B can move orchange the shapes of the areas 2607 within the screens 2603 displayed bythe respective systems 20A and 20B by changing the positions and theangles of the camera modules 150 and performing drag operations or thelike in the areas 2607 through the touch panels 130. Accordingly, in thecase where the areas 2607 a and 2607 b overlap with each other, anoverlapping area 2609 is generated as the example shown in FIG. 18. Whenthe users A and B moves the icons 2605 a and 2605 b displayed in theareas 2607 a and 2607 b, respectively, to the overlapping area 2609 byoperations through the touch panels 130, the sharing processing ofmetadata between pieces of content corresponding to the respective icons2605 a and 2605 b is executed.

2-3. Functional Configuration

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configurationof a system according to the second embodiment of the presentdisclosure. Referring to FIG. 19, in the present embodiment, theprocessor 110 included in the system 20 achieves each of the functionsof a display controller 211, an operation acquisition part 112, an areadetector 213, and a metadata sharing processing part 114. Further, inthe present embodiment, the memory 120 included in the system 20 storescontent data 121 and metadata 122.

Note that, of the functional configuration described above, the partsother than the display controller 211 and the area detector 213 are thesame as those described in the first embodiment, and hence, the detailedexplanation of the some part will be omitted. Note that, although thecase of the system 20A in the display example described above isexplained as an example in the description below, the functionalconfiguration of the system 20B is also the same.

The display controller 211 controls the display 132 and causes the area2607 a (first area) in which the icon 2605 a (first icon) is disposed tobe displayed on the screen 2603. The icon 2605 a corresponds to contentstored in the memory 120 as the content data 121. The type of thecontent may be any, such as a still image, a video, an audio, or adocument. The icon 2605 a may be displayed in various shapes inaccordance with the type of the content and with whether the content isa favorite.

As described in the above display examples, the screen 2603 caused to bedisplayed by the display controller 211 in the present embodimentincludes the area 2607 a in which the icon 2605 a corresponding tocontent held by the system 20A is disposed and the area 2607 b (secondarea) in which the icon 2605 b (second icon) corresponding to contentheld by the system 20B is disposed. While the area 2607 a and the icon2605 a are moved or subjected to shape-change in accordance with anoperation acquired through the touch panel 130 in the system 20A, thearea 2607 b and the icon 2605 b are moved or subjected to shape-changeby an operation of the user of the system 20B.

To be more specific, for example, regarding the area 2607 a and the icon2605 a, the display controller 211 of the system 20A determines initialdisplay positions and shapes in accordance with a program stored in thememory 120, and also causes the area 2607 a and/or the icon 2605 a to bemoved or to be subjected to shape-change in accordance with a useroperation through the touch panel 130. The display controller 211 causesthe area 2607 a and the icon 2605 a to be displayed on the display 132in the thus set display positions and shapes.

On the other hand, regarding the area 2607 b and icon 2605 b, thedisplay controller 211 of the system 20A receives information related todisplay positions and shapes from the system 20B through thecommunication module 140. In the system 20B, the display positions andshapes of the area 2607 b and the icon 2605 b are determined by a useroperation through the touch panel 130. The display controller 211 causesthe area 2607 b and the icon 2605 b to be displayed on the display 132in accordance with the received information. Further, in order to causethe area 2607 a and the icon 2605 a to be displayed also on the display132 of the system 20B, the display controller 211 transmits theinformation related to the display positions and shapes to the system20B through the communication module 140.

The area detector 213 detects the overlapping area 2609, the overlappingarea 2609 being the area in which the area 2607 a (first area) caused tobe displayed by the display controller 211 overlaps with the area 2607 b(second area), the area 2607 b being present within the screen 2603(display surface) and being different from the area 2607 a. In thepresent embodiment, as described above, the display controller 211 setsthe display positions and shapes in the screen 2603 for both of theareas 2607 a and 2607 b. Accordingly, the area detector 213 can detectthe overlapping area 2609 on the basis of virtual position informationwithin the screen of the areas 2607 a and 2607 b provided by the displaycontroller 211.

2-4. Modified Example

Compared to the first embodiment, the configuration of the presentembodiment is approximately the same as the first embodiment apart fromthe fact that the display of the projection 1603 using the projector 160on the real projection plane 1601 is changed to the display of thevirtual screen 2603 on the display 132. Accordingly, for theconfiguration of the embodiment of the parts other than theabove-mentioned part and the modified example, the description of thefirst embodiment may be applied in the same manner. Hereinafter, amodified example that is different from that of the first embodimentwill be described.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a modified example according to the secondembodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 20, in each of ascreen 2603 a displayed on a display 132 a of the system 20A and ascreen 2603 b displayed on a display 132 b of the system 20B, two areas2607 a and 2607 b and icons 2605 a and 2605 b disposed in the respectiveareas are displayed. The areas 2607 a and 2607 b are overlapped in theoverlapping area 2609. Further, the area 2607 a is displayed in thefront side on the display 132 a, and the area 2607 b is displayed in thefront side on the display 132 b.

In this case, in the screen 2603 a, the icon 2605 b disposed in the area2607 b faces toward the area 2607 a, and the direction of the icon 2605b is consistent with the direction of the icon 2605 a. On the otherhand, in the screen 2603 b, the icon 2605 a disposed in the area 2607 afaces toward the area 2607 b, and the direction of the icon 2605 a isconsistent with the direction of the icon 2605 b. Note that thedirection in which each icon 2605 faces is easily understood byreferring to the direction in which the star-shaped icon shown in thefigure faces, for example.

In this way, in the present modified example, the directions of theicons 2605 disposed in the multiple areas 2607 included in the screen2603 are changed in accordance with the direction in which the screen2603 is observed. To be more specific, for example, in the case wherethe display controller 211 of the system 20A causes the icon 2605 b tobe displayed on the screen 2603 a in accordance with informationreceived through the communication module 140 from the system 20B, thedisplay controller 211 of the system 20A changes the direction of theicon 2605 b so as to be consistent with the direction of the icon 2605a.

Note that, although the figures of the present embodiment shows asexamples of the display 132, a display of a flat plate type, embodimentsof the present disclosure are not limited to such examples. For example,the display 132 may be a head-mounted type.

In the second embodiment of the present disclosure described above, theicon 2605, the area 2607, and the overlapping area 2609 are virtuallydisplayed in the screen 2603 of the display 132, and thus, the sharingof metadata between pieces of content can be achieved with an intuitiveoperation in the same manner as the first embodiment, even in the casewhere a projector is not included in the system 20 or there is noprojection plane for displaying multiple areas as projections, forexample. Further, for example, in the case where the screen 2603 is ascreen expressing a virtual space, the sharing of metadata of contentcan be achieved with an intuitive operation between users who are not inthe same space.

3. Third Embodiment

A third embodiment of the present disclosure includes a configuration ofa projector that can be used in the first embodiment described above,for example. Note that the example of the present embodiment isachievable independently of the first embodiment (and the secondembodiment).

3-1. Device Configuration

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a schematic device configuration of asystem according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.Referring to FIG. 21, a system 30 includes a processor 110, memory 120,a touch panel 130, a communication module 140, a camera module 150, anda projector 160. In the same manner as the system 10 according to thefirst embodiment described above, the system 30 may be achieved byincluding one or more information processing apparatuses.

Note that the system 30 according to the present embodiment has the samedevice configuration as the system 10 according to the first embodiment.Therefore, the detailed explanation of structural elements of the deviceconfiguration will be omitted. The difference between the presentembodiment and the first embodiment will become clear with the followingdescription of the functional configuration. Note that the relationshipbetween the camera module 150 and the projector 160 of the presentembodiment is the same as that described in the first embodiment withreference to FIG. 2.

3-2. Functional Configuration

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configurationof a system according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.Referring to FIG. 22, in the present embodiment, the processor 110included in the system 30 achieves each of the functions of an imageacquisition part 311, a projectable area determination part 312, and aprojector controller 313. Further, in the present embodiment, the memory120 included in the system 30 stores content data 321. Note that thefunctions may be achieved independently, or may be achieved with thefunctions described in the first embodiment, for example.

The image acquisition part 311 acquires a captured image including atleast a part of a pattern projected by the projector 160 on theprojection plane 1601 from the camera module 150. In the presentembodiment, with the function of the projector controller 313 to bedescribed later, the projector 160 project a given pattern on theprojection plane 1601 at least temporarily. The image acquisition part311 acquires a captured image including at least a part of a patternincluded in a projection 1603 on the projection plane 1601 from thecamera module 150. In the present embodiment, the camera module 150 andthe projector 160 are disposed such that at least a part of theprojection 1603, which is displayed by the projector 160 projecting animage on the projection plane 1601, is included in an angle of view 1501of the camera module 150. Accordingly, the camera module 150 can acquirea captured image including at least a part of the pattern included inthe projection 1603. Note that a specific example of the patterns to beprojected will be described later.

Here, projection of a pattern performed by a function of the projectorcontroller 313 will be further described. As will be described later,the projector controller 313 provides the projector 160 with image datain accordance the content data 321, and causes content to be displayedon the projection plane 1601 as the projection 1603. On the other hand,the projector controller 313 projects a given pattern on the projectionplane 1601 at the time that the projector 160 starts the projection, forexample. The given pattern may be visually recognizable to a user, or isdisplayed using invisible light such as infrared rays and may not bevisually recognizable to the user. Further, the projector controller 313may project the given pattern on the projection plane 1601 at givenintervals, also after the projector 160 has started the display ofcontent. In this way, also in the case where the positional relationshipbetween the projector 160 and the projection plane 1601 changes duringthe projection or a new object is disposed on the projection plane 1601,for example, the projectable area on the projection plane 1601 can beoptimized as will be described later.

The projectable area determination part 312 determines a projectablearea on the projection plane 1601 on the basis of the captured imageacquired by the image acquisition part 311. The projectable area is anarea in which, in the case where the projector 160 projects an image onthe projection plane 1601, the image can be visually recognizedrelatively clearly in the projection 1603. The projectable area is arectangular area, or a part of the area may be cut out as will bedescribed later. Further, the projectable area may have a shape otherthan the rectangle. The projectable area determination part 312 changesthe size and/or shape of the projectable area depending on whether acaptured image having an irregularly projected pattern in a first areawithin the projection plane 1601 is captured.

For example, unless the first area having the irregularly projectedpattern is generated, the projectable area determination part 312 mayset as the projectable area an area having the maximum possible size forthe projector 160 to project the image on the projection plane 1601.Further, for example, in the case where the first area having anirregularly projected pattern is generated, the projectable areadetermination part 312 may set a reduced projectable area so as not toinclude the first area, or may cut out the first area from theprojectable area.

Here, there are some causes for the case where the pattern isirregularly projected. For example, in the case where some sort ofobject is disposed on the projection plane 1601, the projection plane1601 is not flat at the part (first area), and thus, the pattern isirregularly distorted. In this case, if the image is projected in thefirst area in which the pattern is irregularly distorted, it isdifficult to visually recognize the image clearly on the projection1603. Accordingly, the projectable area determination part 312determines the projectable area by excluding the first area. However, inthe case where an object disposed on the projection plane 1601 has acertain size and has a flat part on the surface of the object, forexample, although the pattern to be projected is irregularly distortedin the first area, the pattern is regularly projected in a second area(flat part) surrounded by the first area. In such a case, theprojectable area determination part 312 may set a combination of a firstprojectable area which does not include the first area and a secondprojectable area corresponding to the second area as the projectablearea.

Note that the irregular distortion of the pattern mentioned in theexample described above represents a state in which the shape of theprojected pattern changes discontinuously with the surrounding area dueto disposition of an object, for example. In contrast, the regularprojection represents a state in which the shape of the projectedpattern changes continuously with the surrounding area. For example, inthe case where the projection 1603 is deformed into a trapezoid or anirregular quadrilateral due to the fact that the projection plane 1601inclines with respect to an optical axis of the projector 160, forexample, although the pattern included in the projection 1603 isdeformed when compared to the original shape, since the deformationoccurs continuously over the entire pattern, the deformation differsfrom the irregular distortion of the example described above.

Note that in the present embodiment, since correction processing (suchas trapezoid correction) is known technology, the detailed descriptionthereof is omitted, the correction processing being performed in thecase where the projection 1603, which is originally a rectangle, isdeformed into a trapezoid or an irregular quadrilateral due to the factthat the projection plane 1601 inclines with respect to the optical axisof the projector 160. Accordingly, regarding the description of theshapes of the projection 1603, the projectable area, and the like, thereis no description about each of the shapes actually not being arectangle and being a trapezoid or an irregular quadrilateral, but it iseasily understood by those skilled in the art that the presentembodiment is also applicable to such a case.

Further, for example, in the case where the texture of the projectionplane 1601 is partly changed, in the partly changed part (first area),the texture of the pattern is also irregularly changed due to the factthat the texture of the background of the projection is different. Inthis case, when an image is projected over the first area and an areaother than the first area, it is difficult to visually recognize theimage clearly on the projection 1603, since the texture of thebackground changes in the middle. Accordingly, the projectable areadetermination part 312 determines the projectable area by excluding thefirst area. Note that, in the case where the texture itself in the firstarea of the projection plane 1601 does not make the projection of theimage difficult, for example, it is not necessarily difficult tovisually recognize the image if the image to be projected is notprojected over the first area and an area other than the first area.Consequently, in such a case, the projectable area determination part312 may set a combination of a first projectable area which does notinclude the first area and a second projectable area corresponding tothe first area as the projectable area.

Note that the irregular change in the texture of the pattern mentionedin the example described above represents a state in which the textureof the projected pattern changes discontinuously with the surroundingarea due to the fact that the projection plane 1601 is formed by joiningtogether a table and a wall whose materials and paintings, for example,are different from each other, or due to the fact that a sheet-shapedobject, such as paper, is disposed on the projection plane 1601. Incontrast, the regular change in the texture represents a state in whichthe texture of the projected pattern changes continuously with thesurrounding area. For example, in the case where the projection plane1601 is a wooden table or a wooden surface of a wall and a wood grain isobserved as the texture, although the textures in the background of thepattern included in the projection 1603 differ from place to place,since the change occurs continuously over the entire pattern, thedifference differs from the irregular change in the texture described inthe above example.

The projector controller 313 controls the projector 160 in a manner thatan image is projected in the projectable area determined by theprojectable area determination part 312. To be more specific, forexample, the projector controller 313 controls an optical system of theprojector 160 and adjusts a magnification of the projection 1603 inaccordance with the size of the determined projectable area. Further,for example, the projector controller 313 edits image data to beprovided to the projector 160 on the basis of the content data 321 inaccordance with the shape of the determined projectable area. Forexample, in the case where a first area (area in which a pattern isirregularly projected) is cut out from the projectable area, theprojector controller 313 edits the image data to be provided to theprojector 160 in a manner that the part corresponding to the cut-outfirst area is a blank. Further, for example, in the case where theprojectable area includes a first projectable area and a secondprojectable area, the projector controller 313 generates pieces of imagedata corresponding to the two areas, respectively.

Here, for example, as the example described above, in the case where theprojectable area determination part 312 determines the first projectablearea and the second projectable area the texture of which is differentfrom the texture of the first area, the projector controller 313 maycontrol the projector 160 in a manner that a type of an image projectedon the first projectable area is different from a type of an imageprojected on the second projectable area. For example, in the case wherethe first projectable area has a pale solid color and the secondprojectable area has a dark solid color, while a relatively fine imagesuch as text information is visually recognizable in the firstprojectable area, a relatively rough image such as an icon is visuallyrecognizable in the second area. In such a case, the projector 160 maydispose an image of text information (for example, an article of ane-paper or an e-book) in the first area, and an operation icon (in thecase where a GUI is provided by the projector 160 and the camera module150 or another sensor) for operating the image in the second area.

Further, the projector controller 313 may adjust an amount ofinformation of an image displayed by the projector 160 on the basis of acaptured image acquired by the image acquisition part 311. For example,in the case where the camera module 150 and the projector 160 are builtin an identical terminal device, or in the case where the camera module150 and the projector 160 are fixedly externally attached to anidentical terminal device, it is considered that the image captured bythe camera module 150 is close to the figure of the projection 1603 thatthe user visually recognizes. Accordingly, in such a case, the projectorcontroller 313 edits image data to be provided to the projector 160 onthe basis of the content data 321 in accordance with the size of thepattern in the image captured by the camera module 150. For example, theprojector controller 313 measures how a size or an interval of a givenfigure included in an original image of a pattern projected by theprojector 160 changes in an image obtained by the camera module 150capturing the pattern projected by the projector 160 on the projectionplane 1601. The size or the interval in the captured image may bemeasured in units of pixels, for example.

3-3. Display Example First Display Example

FIGS. 23A and 23B are each a diagram showing a first display exampleaccording to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. Referringto FIG. 23A, the projector 160 projects a pattern 3601 having concentricrectangles on the projection plane 1601. The pattern 3601 is displayedin a manner that the pattern 3601 is irregularly distorted in an area3605 (first area) owing to an object 3603 disposed on the projectionplane 1601. In such a case, in the system 30, the image acquisition part311 acquires a captured image including the pattern 3601 which isirregularly distorted in the area 3605 from the camera module 150.Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 23B, the projectable area determinationpart 312 determines a projectable area 3607 which has been reduced so asnot to include the area 3605.

Here, the projector controller 313 may cause the pattern 3601 to beprojected again in the reduced projectable area 3607. In this case, theprojector controller 313 acquires the captured image including there-projected pattern 3601 from the camera module 150, and adjusts theamount of information of the projected content image on the basis of aninterval dl between rectangles forming the pattern 3601 in the capturedimage. As an example, the projector controller 313 may adjust the amountof information of the projected content image to the following stages: astage in which the interval dl on the captured image is 0 to 8 pixels(amount of information is smallest); a stage in which the interval dl onthe captured image is 9 to 16 pixels (amount of information is medium);and a stage in which the interval dl on the captured image is 17 pixelsor more (amount of information is largest).

Second Display Example

FIGS. 24A, 24B, and 24C are each a diagram showing a second displayexample according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 24A is an example of a case where no object is disposed on theprojection plane 1601. In this case, the pattern 3601 does not have anarea with irregular projection. Accordingly, the projectable areadetermination part 312 sets a maximum possible area in which theprojector 160 can project an image on the projection plane 1601 as aprojectable area 3607 a. The projector controller 313 causes theprojectable area 3607 a to display an e-paper 3609 a (in addition, itmay also be an e-book, a web page, or the like) including articles 1 to6.

On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 24B, the pattern 3601 isirregularly distorted in the area 3605 (first area) owing to thedisposition of the object 3603 on the projection plane 1601. In thiscase, the projectable area determination part 312 acts differently fromthe example described in the first example, and cuts out the area 3605from a projectable area 3607 b. The projector controller 313 controlsthe projector 160 and causes an e-paper 3609 b including articles 1 to5, which has been edited according to the projectable area 3607 b, to bedisplayed. The shape of the e-paper 3609 b is changed in a manner thatthe area of the article 5 does not cover the first area 3605, and thearticle 6 is omitted instead.

Still further, in the example shown in FIG. 24C, in addition to the factthat the pattern 3601 is irregularly distorted in the area 3605, theprojectable area determination part 312 detects that the pattern 3601 isregularly projected in an area 3611 (second area) representing a flatsurface of the object 3603. On the basis of this, the projectable areadetermination part 312 determines a projectable area 3607 including afirst projectable area 3607 b which does not include the area 3605 and asecond projectable area 3607 c corresponding to the area 3611. Theprojector controller 313 controls the projector 160 and causes ane-paper 3609 c including articles 1 to 5 and 7, which has been editedaccording to the projectable area 3607 described above, to be displayed.Here, the e-paper 3609 c is obtained by adding the article 7 displayedin the second projectable area 3607 c to the e-paper 3609 b shown inFIG. 24B.

Third Display Example

FIGS. 25A, 25B, and 25C are each a diagram showing a third displayexample according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.FIGS. 25A, 25B, and 25C each show an example in which an amount ofinformation of an image projected by the projector 160 changes inaccordance with the size of the pattern in the image captured by thecamera module 150. In this example, the projector 160 displays an imageof a music player 3613 on the projection plane 1601.

FIG. 25A is an example of the case where the size of the pattern 3601 inthe captured image is relatively small. In this case, since it isestimated that the size of the image of a music player 3613 a that auser visually recognizes is relatively small, the projector controller313 allows the image of the music player 3613 a to be a simple imageincluding a set of control buttons 3615 (playback, pause, fast-forward,and fast-rewind) and a set of music and artist names 3617.

FIG. 25B is an example of the case where the size of the pattern 3601 inthe captured image is medium. In this case, since it is estimated thatthe size of the image of a music player 3613 b that a user visuallyrecognizes is medium, the projector controller 313 allows the image ofthe music player 3613 b to be an image including, in addition to theelements of the music player 3613 a shown in FIG. 25A, an image 3619corresponding to a music being played back and a music list 3621.

FIG. 25C is an example of the case where the size of the pattern 3601 inthe captured image is relatively large. In this case, since it isestimated that the size of the image of a music player 3613 c that auser visually recognizes is relatively large, the projector controller313 allows the image of the music player 3613 c to be a full imageincluding, in addition to the elements of the music player 3613 b shownin FIG. 25B, an image 3623 corresponding to other music pieces stored ina library.

Fourth Display Example

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a fourth display example according to thethird embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 26, theprojector 160 projects the pattern 3601 having concentric rectangles onthe projection plane 1601. The pattern 3601 is displayed in a mannerthat a texture is irregularly changed in the area 3605 (first area)owing to a texture-changed part on the projection plane 1601. In such acase, in the system 30, the image acquisition part 311 acquires acaptured image including the pattern 3601 which has the textureirregularly changed in the area 3605 from the camera module 150.

In addition, in the example described above, the projectable areadetermination part 312 detects, in addition to that the texture of thepattern 3601 is irregularly changed in the area 3605, that the textureis regularly changed (or, is not changed) inside the area 3605, and thatthe projected image can be visually recognized though the visibilitythereof is not as high as the visibility in the area 3605. On the basisof this, the projectable area determination part 312 determines theprojectable area 3607 including the first projectable area 3607 b whichdoes not include the area 3605 and the second projectable area 3607 ccorresponding to the area 3605.

Here, in the example shown in the figure, an image of a video player3625 includes a content image 3627 and a control button 3629, the imageof the video player 3625 being displayed by the projector controller 313by controlling the projector 160. The projector controller 313 disposesthe content image 3627 in the first projectable area 3607 b, and thecontrol button 3629 in the second projectable area 3607 c. In this way,the content image 3627 is displayed in the projectable area 3607 b inwhich the visibility of the projected image is higher, and the controlbutton 3629 is disposed in the second projectable area 3607 c in whichthe visibility is slightly low but icons are sufficiently visuallyrecognizable. Thus, the entire projectable area 3607 is fully used, andthe content image 3627 can be displayed in a larger size.

Applying the examples described above, a user can control contents of aprojected image by intentionally disposing an object on the projectionplane 1601. For example, in the case where an image of an applicationfor accepting text input such as an e-mail is projected on theprojection plane 1601 placed on a table, the user can dispose, on theprojection plane 1601, paper having a texture (color, pattern, or thelike) that is different from the texture of the table, and thus candisplay an on-screen keyboard or the like on the paper.

Note that, in the figures and descriptions of the present embodiment,the pattern having concentric rectangles is shown as an example of thepattern 3601, but the embodiments of the present disclosure are notlimited to such an example. The pattern 3601 may be any as long as thepattern 3601 has a figure that the change in the shape and/or texture isdetectable, and the size of which can be measured as necessary dependingon the interval of the figures or the like. As an example, the pattern3601 may have a lattice-like structure, concentric circles, concentricpolygons other than rectangles, or the like. Further, for example, inthe case where it is detected that the object 3603 is removed from thestate shown in the FIG. 24B, redrawing may be executed in the form thatthe article 6 is not omitted, as shown in FIG. 24A.

4. Hardware Configuration

Finally, with reference to FIG. 27, a more specific hardwareconfiguration example of an information processing apparatus accordingto an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 27 isa block diagram showing a hardware configuration example of aninformation processing apparatus according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. A single information processing apparatus 900 shownin the figure or a combination of the information processing apparatuses900 achieves a system according to the embodiments described above, forexample.

The information processing apparatus 900 includes a central processingunit (CPU) 901, read only memory (ROM) 903, and random access memory(RAM) 905. Further, the information processing apparatus 900 may alsoinclude a host bus 907, a bridge 909, an external bus 911, an interface913, an input device 915, an output device 917, a storage device 919, adrive 921, a connection port 923, and a communication device 925. Theinformation processing apparatus 900 may also include, instead of oralong with the CPU 901, a processing circuit such as a digital signalprocessor (DSP) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

The CPU 901 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a controlunit and controls an entire operation or a part of the operation of theinformation processing apparatus 900 according to various programsrecorded in the ROM 903, the RAM 905, the storage device 919, or aremovable recording medium 927. The ROM 903 stores programs andarithmetic parameters used by the CPU 901. The RAM 905 primarily storesprograms used in execution of the CPU 901 and parameters and the like atthe execution. The CPU 901, the ROM 903, and the RAM 905 are connectedto each other via the host bus 907 configured from an internal bus suchas a CPU bus or the like. In addition, the host bus 907 is connected tothe external bus 911 such as a peripheral componentinterconnect/interface (PCI) bus via the bridge 909.

The input device 915 is a device operated by a user, such as a mouse, akeyboard, a touch panel, buttons, or a switch. Also, the input device915 may be a remote control device using, for example, infrared rays orother radio waves, or may be an external connection device 929 such as amobile phone compatible with the operation of the information processingapparatus 900. The input device 915 includes an input control circuitthat generates an input signal on the basis of information input by theuser and outputs the input signal to the CPU 901. The user inputsvarious kinds of data to the information processing apparatus 900 andinstructs the information processing apparatus 900 to perform aprocessing operation by operating the input device 915.

The output device 917 is configured from a device capable of visually oraurally notifying the user of acquired information. For example, theoutput device 917 may be: a display device such as a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), or an organic electro-luminescence (EL) display; or anaudio output device such as a speaker and headphones. The output device917 outputs results obtained by the processing performed by theinformation processing apparatus 900 as video in the form of text or animage or as audio in the form of audio or sound.

The storage device 919 is a device for storing data configured as anexample of a storage of the information processing apparatus 900. Thestorage device 919 is configured from, for example, a magnetic storagedevice such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a semiconductor storage device,an optical storage device, or a magneto-optical storage device. Thisstorage device 919 stores programs to be executed by the CPU 901,various data, and various data obtained from the outside.

The drive 921 is a reader/writer for the removable recording medium 927such as a magnetic disk, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disk, or asemiconductor memory, and is built in or externally attached to theinformation processing apparatus 900. The drive 921 reads outinformation recorded on the attached removable recording medium 927, andoutputs the information to the RAM 905. Further, the drive 921 writesthe record on the attached removable recording medium 927.

The connection port 923 is a port for allowing devices to directlyconnect to the information processing apparatus 900. Examples of theconnection port 923 include a universal serial bus (USB) port, anIEEE1394 port, and a small computer system interface (SCSI) port. Otherexamples of the connection port 923 may include an RS-232C port, anoptical audio terminal, and a high-definition multimedia interface(HDMI) port. The connection of the external connection device 929 to theconnection port 923 may enable the various data exchange between theinformation processing apparatus 900 and the external connection device929.

The communication device 925 is a communication interface configuredfrom, for example, a communication device for establishing a connectionto a communication network 931. The communication device 925 is, forexample, a wired or wireless local area network (LAN), Bluetooth(registered trademark), a communication card for wireless USB (WUSB), orthe like. Alternatively, the communication device 925 may be a routerfor optical communication, a router for asymmetric digital subscriberline (ADSL), a modem for various communications, or the like. Thecommunication device 925 can transmit and receive signals and the likeusing a predetermined protocol such as TCP/IP on the Internet and withother communication devices, for example. The communication network 931connected to the communication device 925 is configured from a networkand the like, which is connected via wire or wirelessly, and is, forexample, the Internet, a home-use LAN, infrared communication, radiowave communication, and satellite communication.

Heretofore, an example of the hardware configuration of the informationprocessing apparatus 900 has been shown. Each of the structural elementsdescribed above may be configured using a general-purpose material, ormay be configured from hardware dedicated to the function of eachstructural element. The configuration may be changed as appropriateaccording to the technical level at the time of carrying outembodiments.

5. Supplement

The embodiments of the present disclosure may include the informationprocessing apparatus, the system, the information processing methodexecuted in the information processing apparatus or the system, theprogram for causing the information processing apparatus to function,and the non-transitory tangible media having the program recordedthereon, which have been described above, for example.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Additionally, the present technology may also be configured as below.

(1) An information processing apparatus including:

a display controller configured to cause a first icon to be displayed;

an operation acquisition part configured to acquire a user operation formoving the first icon in a first area within a display surface;

an area detector configured to detect an overlapping area in which thefirst area overlaps with a second area, the second area being presentwithin the display surface and being different from the first area; and

a metadata sharing processing part configured to share, between thefirst icon which is moved from the first area to the overlapping areaand a second icon which is different from the first icon and is movedfrom the second area to the overlapping area, pieces of metadataassociated with pieces of content corresponding to the respective icons.

(2) The information processing apparatus according to (1),

wherein, after the overlapping of the first area and the second area hasbeen cancelled, the display controller causes the overlapping area to bevirtually displayed.

(3) The information processing apparatus according to (2),

wherein the display controller causes a virtual overlapping area to bedisplayed separately from the overlapping area in which the first areaoverlaps with a plurality of the second areas, the virtual overlappingarea being an area in which the first area overlaps with a part of theplurality of second areas.

(4) The information processing apparatus according to (2) or (3),

wherein the display controller causes the overlapping area to bedisplayed in a minimized state.

(5) The information processing apparatus according to any one of (2) to(4),

wherein the operation acquisition part acquires a user operation forchanging a size of the overlapping area.

(6) The information processing apparatus according to any one of (2) to(5),

wherein, after the first area has overlapped with a plurality of thesecond areas sequentially, the display controller causes a plurality ofthe overlapping areas corresponding to the respective second areas to bevirtually displayed.

(7) The information processing apparatus according to any one of (2) to(6),

wherein the operation acquisition part acquires a user operation forgenerating a new overlapping area by further overlapping a plurality ofthe overlapping areas.

(8) The information processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to(7),

wherein, in a case where images included in the pieces of content aresimilar to each other, the metadata sharing processing part shares thepieces of metadata between the pieces of content.

(9) The information processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to(7),

wherein, in a case where one or more items included in the pieces ofmetadata are common, the metadata sharing processing part shares an itemor items other than the one or more items of the pieces of metadatabetween the pieces of content.

(10) The information processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to(9),

wherein the display controller causes a classification axiscorresponding to an item included in the pieces of metadata to bedisplayed in the overlapping area, and arranges the first icon disposedin the first area or the overlapping area in accordance with theclassification axis.

(11) The information processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to(10),

wherein the display controller controls a first projector and causes thefirst icon and the first area to be projected on a projection plane, and

wherein the area detector detects the overlapping area on the basis ofoverlapping of projections between the second area and the first area,the second area being projected on the projection plane by a secondprojector, the second projector being different from the firstprojector.

(12) The information processing apparatus according to (11),

wherein the display controller further controls a display and causes theprojected first icon and the projected first area to be displayed on ascreen, and

wherein the operation acquisition part acquires a user operation on thefirst icon displayed on the display.

(13) The information processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to(10),

wherein the display controller controls a display and causes the firsticon, the first area, and the second area to be displayed on a screen,and

wherein the area detector detects the overlapping area on the basis ofpieces of virtual position information within the screen of therespective first and second areas.

(14) The information processing apparatus according to (13),

wherein the display controller causes the second icon disposed in thesecond area or the overlapping area to be displayed on the screen andchanges a direction of the second icon so as to be consistent with adirection of the first icon.

(15) An information processing method performed by a processor includedin an information processing apparatus, the method including:

causing a first icon to be displayed;

acquiring a user operation for moving the first icon in a first areawithin a display surface;

detecting an overlapping area in which the first area overlaps with asecond area, the second area being present within the display surfaceand being different from the first area; and

sharing, between the first icon which is moved from the first area tothe overlapping area and a second icon which is different from the firsticon and is moved from the second area to the overlapping area, piecesof metadata associated with pieces of content corresponding to therespective icons.

(16) A program for causing a computer to achieve:

a function of causing a first icon to be displayed;

a function of acquiring a user operation for moving the first icon in afirst area within a display surface;

a function of detecting an overlapping area in which the first areaoverlaps with a second area, the second area being present within thedisplay surface and being different from the first area; and

a function of sharing, between the first icon which is moved from thefirst area to the overlapping area and a second icon which is differentfrom the first icon and is moved from the second area to the overlappingarea, pieces of metadata associated with pieces of content correspondingto the respective icons.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus, comprising: one or more processors configured to: control a first projector to project a first icon in a first area on a projection plane, wherein the projection plane is in a display screen; control a second projector to project a second area on the projection plane, wherein the second projector is different from the first projector; detect a first overlapping area in which the first area overlaps with the second area based on overlap of projections between the second area and the first area, wherein the first overlapping area includes the first icon; and output, based on the detected first overlapping area, first information associated with a first plurality of pieces of content that correspond to the first icon.
 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: control the second projector to project a second icon in the second area on the projection plane; and output, based on the detected first overlapping area, second information associated with a second plurality of pieces of content that correspond to the second icon.
 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: control the display screen to display the first overlapping area as a virtual overlapping area based on cancellation of the overlap of the first area and the second area; and control the display screen to display the first overlapping area in a minimized state.
 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to control the display screen to display the first icon, in the first overlapping area, in a direction that is opposite to the first area on the projection plane.
 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to acquire an input that corresponds to a movement of each of the first area and the second area within the display screen.
 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the first overlapping area based on the acquired input.
 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the movement of each of the first area and the second area is associated with a position and an angle of projection of each of the first projector and the second projector.
 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: detect a plurality of overlapping areas on the display screen, wherein the first overlapping area is included in the plurality of overlapping areas; and control the display screen to display each of the plurality of overlapping areas in a different color.
 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: control the display screen to display a classification axis that corresponds to one of position information of the first icon or tag information of the first icon; and arrange the first icon in one of the first area or the first overlapping area based on the classification axis.
 10. An information processing method, comprising: in an information processing apparatus: controlling a first projector to project a first icon in a first area on a projection plane, wherein the projection plane is in a display screen; controlling a second projector to project a second area on the projection plane, wherein the second projector is different from the first projector; detecting an overlapping area in which the first area overlaps with the second area based on overlap of projections between the second area and the first area, wherein the overlapping area includes the first icon; and outputting, based on the detected overlapping area, information associated with pieces of content that correspond to the first icon.
 11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to execute operations, the operations comprising: controlling a first projector to project a first icon in a first area on a projection plane, wherein the projection plane is in a display screen; controlling a second projector to project a second area on the projection plane, wherein the second projector is different from the first projector; detecting an overlapping area in which the first area overlaps with the second area based on overlap of projections between the second area and the first area, wherein the overlapping area includes the first icon; and outputting, based on the detected overlapping area, information associated with pieces of content that correspond to the first icon. 